After All This
by ShadowedxRedemption
Summary: The Shikon no Tama is back in one piece and everything is the way it should be. But is it? Or is there something else that needs to be done? It sure is harder than fighting demons. [One shot][InuxKag]Dedicated to my friend Cynthia Lee.


Everyone was silent on the trip back to Kaede's village, especially Kagome and Inuyasha. Naraku had recently been defeated and everything was the way it should be before Naraku showed up. Kohaku was back, and Miroku's _Wind Tunnel_ had been removed and he wasn't going to be swallowed by it. Miroku, Sango, Kohaku, and Shippo who were using Kiara as transportation looked at one another, realizing that there was something Inuyasha and Kagome had to do before it was too late and they ended up regretting it.

"Sis, is it that hard to confess that you love someone?" Kohaku asked as Miroku clamped a hand over his mouth.

"Kohaku, not now…but yes, it is…when I told Sango that I love her." He whispered.

Sango blushed when her brother looked at her.

"I think they should just say it right now, especially stupid Inuyasha." Shippo added as he crossed his arms and legs, nodding at his own statement.

"I think its best they decide when to tell each other, but if they both miss this chance, they can never get another chance again." Sango said as she looked at Inuyasha and Kagome's expressions. They had the same look plastered on their faces. Worry.

For the rest of the trip, they remained silent for Inuyasha and Kagome's sake, for them to think and decide. The trip seemed longer than usual, since silence lingered in the air for quite a while, unlike other times where everyone would be discussing something. Since all their worries were over, there was nothing left to discuss, at least not the major discussions anyway.

♥ Back at Kaede's Village♥

"Inuyasha. You must decide whether you want to become a human or full-fledged demon. If you choose to become human, the _Shikon no Tama_will cease to exist and if you choose to become a full-fledged demon, the _Shikon no Tama_ will become black and can no longer be purified." Kaede said holding the completed Jewel in her palm.

"Heh! Of course I would choose to become a full-fledged demon! Isn't that right Kagome?" Inuyasha asked looking behind him at Kagome.

"Yeah…" She mumbled, almost hardly any voice came out of her. She also had a sad, thoughtful look on her face as she put her fist against her chest.

"H-huh? What's the matter Kagome?" He asked noticing that she wasn't her usual self.

"Oh no! It's nothing. Everything's fine." Kagome lit up almost suddenly and laughed sheepishly, causing Sango, Miroku, Shippo, and Kohaku to sweat drop.

"Right…"He said and turned back to face Kaede.

"Is it alright if I think it over first?" Inuyasha asked.

"Of course. Please notify me when you have your answer by today." Kaede said and walked into her home.

Everyone stood still in their positions and remained silent for a second.

Miroku and Sango nodded at each other with a determined look on their faces.

"Kagome? Can I talk to you for a while?" Sango asked as she led her towards the river side, far enough so Inuyasha doesn't hear their conversation.

"Inuyasha. Let's have a man-to-man talk." Miroku said as they walked into the forest. Kohaku glanced left and right of him and noticed everyone is gone except for Kiara and Shippo.

"I guess its only us, Kiara and Shippo." He said as the three of them went to play with the other village kids.

×Man-to-man talk×

"What did you want to talk about Miroku?" Inuyasha asked as they entered the forest.

"Inuyasha. As men, we need to speak our minds, we must speak out what we want. Have you no shame Inuyasha." Miroku said as though he was reciting a speech or play.

"Uh, what are you getting at?" Inuyasha asked, uncomfortable of Miroku's awkward behavior.

Miroku sighed and shook his head in disappointment and acted more serious, rather than trying the 'speech' approach.

"Don't' you realize that Kagome loves you Inuyasha? She may not say it, now now, maybe never. But for quite sometime, me, Sango, Shippo, Kiara and even Kohaku kept an eye on you two. You obviously love Kagome." Miroku said finally getting his words out. Inuyasha stood there speechless and surprised for a moment.

"Hmph. Yeah right, like she'd ever love me. I'm in love with Kikyo remember?" Inuyasha said, causing Miroku to lose it.

Miroku couldn't take it anymore. Did Inuyasha ever listen to anyone else besides himself? Miroku grabbed Inuyasha by the front of his shirt.

"Listen to me Inuyasha, if you don't tell Kagome, you won't ever see her again! Kikyo's dead. Stop dwelling on the past and move on with your life!" Miroku snapped causing to grab his hand and took it off of him.

"Who do you think you are, telling me what to do? Hmph. I'm going for a walk." Inuyasha argued back, and walked past Miroku into the forest.

Miroku sighed. "Inuyasha, you must make the right decision." He mumbled as he watched Inuyasha going deeper into the forest until he could not be seen, Miroku walked back to the village to wait and see what progress Sango made.

♥Sango and Kagome's talk♥

"Kagome, did I ever thank you for making Miroku love me back?" Sango asked taking easy steps, trying to make her confess her emotions.

"It's okay Sango. I love to help." Kagome replied with an absolute zero smile.

"I feel like I have to owe you in some way. Hm…is there anyone in particular that you're in love with? I can help you confess your feelings like you encouraged me to be brave and not be scared of falling in love."

"No. It's okay. I don't' think he'll love me back. Even if he did, it wouldn't be me that he'll love." Kagome said with a sad smile.

"At least tell me who it is." Sango said putting a hand on her shoulder, causing Kagome to sigh.

"You can't tell anyone though, because if he finds out, our friendship won't be the same."

Sango agreed and waited patiently for Kagome's answer.

"It's Inuyasha." Kagome mumbled, causing Sango to smile.

'I knew it.' Sango thought.

"If you don't tell Inuyasha your feelings, you'll live your life in regret. I mean, what if Inuyasha loves you back and you never told him your feelings? You're the only one who can change Inuyasha's mind about being human or full-fledged demon, you're the one who makes a decision as to whether to makes a decision as to whether to turn the jewel shard black or make the jewel shard cease to exist, and you're the only one that can make Inuyasha happy and move on with his life, with you. The final decision you make will affect the future of Inuyasha and yourself." Sango explained with great detail so it would add to the affect of persuasion.

"Sango," Kagome started and seemed speechless for a second, but then a moment later, a smile formed on her lips. "Thank you. I'll tell him how I feel before I leave, so I won't regret it. If he doesn't have the same feelings for me, its okay." Kagome said and got up to walk away.

"Leave? To where? Aren't you going to stay here?" Sango asked. Kagome stopped in her tracks and looked at Sango shaking her head.

"Mm-mm. I can't stay here Sango. My home is at a different time and place." Kagome explained and continued on.

Just after Kagome left, Miroku came to Sango's side watching Kagome leave.

"How did it go?" Miroku asked once she disappeared into the distance.

"She's going to confess her feelings to Inuyasha." She said smiling at Miroku, but he frowned.

"W-what's wrong?" Sango asked, her smile faded once she saw his frown.

"Inuyasha is stubborn, he says he still has feelings for Kikyo," Miroku explained. "We have to stop Kagome before she makes a fool of herself."

"Let's go find Kagome." Sango said and the two of them ran in the direction where Kagome exited.

♥Kagome's POV♥

"I wonder where Inu-"She started, but up ahead, she saw Inuyasha sitting against the tree trunk where they first met. He was holding his Tetseiga while sleeping.

She approached him slowly and quietly careful not to wake him.

She sighed as she slumped down against the tree trunk beside Inuyasha. Kagome looked up at the forest canopy, light shining through leaves.

'Inuyasha' She thought as her eyelids drooped and fell asleep.

Suddenly she heard birds chirping as their wings flapped causing her to awake a few seconds later.

Kagome glanced around and noticed that Inuyasha had just awoken too.

"Oh hey Kagome. How long have I've been here?" Inuyasha asked getting up from the ground.

"About an hour, I didn't wake you up because you needed rest especially after the fight with Naraku." She said.

"Oh, okay. Where are the others?" He asked noticing that everyone else was gone.

"They're back at the village." She answered him suddenly remembering what Sango had told her to do.

"Let's go back to the vil-"

"Inuyasha… I have…something to tell you… since a long time…" She interrupted him.

"What is it? Something wrong Kagome?" Inuyasha asked with a hint of concern, causing her to sigh.

"If you don't feel the same way, I understand. I…I love you Inuyasha, for a long time now. Please tell me how you feel; I don't want to go back living in regret." She said trying not to rush through her words. Inuyasha was awestruck and speechless. He tried to say something but nothing came out. He sighed as he ran one hand through his hair.

"I-I don't know… I can't love you Kagome, sorry. You're…you're just not the same as Kikyo." He said looking at the ground with his eyes shut with an expression of regret.

Kagome bit her lower lip trying to fight back tears, but she betrayed her tears and let them all flow out. She ran away not saying anything since there was nothing left to discuss.

"Kagome wait!" Inuyasha called but she continued to run until she disappeared off into the distance.

"Dammit!" Inuyasha cussed under his breath and ran in the same direction where she ran off to.

Sango and Miroku went to ask Kaede where Kagome was but all she said was to leave Kagome and Inuyasha alone, since they needed to figure things out and helping them would only interfere with their thoughts. So Sango and Miroku took a walk in the village to buy some ingredients for tonight's supper.

Inuyasha jumped from the tree to tree trying to spot out Kagome, but so far, nothing. Just villagers and villages.

He sighed, as Miroku's words repeated over and over again in his head like a broken record.

"Kagome or Kikyo?" He asked himself as he tried to sniff out Kagome's scent. He sighed and still nothing. Inuyasha landed on the ground and walked while making his life decision.

Memories that he shared with Kikyo replayed in his mind.

She was the very first girl he had ever fallen in love with, but after Naraku killed her, those days, they were long gone.

'I can't love Kagome, that would be like betraying Kikyo.' He thought. 'Kikyo's dead!' Miroku's words played yet again in his head. Inuyasha thought about what spending life with Kagome would be like. He could only imagine that there are never-ending arguments over stupid things causing them to hate each other instead of love.

'Another reason why I can't love her.' He thought. Suddenly ahead of him, he heard a swoosh and there stood his brother, Sesshomaru.

"So brother, what do you plan to do with the girl? Do you plan on killing her?" Sesshomaru asked.

"No." Was Inuyasha's answer, as another thought popped into his head.

'Kagome was the one who helped me make peace with Sesshomaru and treat each other like family.' He thought. 'Most of the things that happened to me and Kikyo are…negative…everything turns out wrong, but when I'm around Kagome, things are better…' He thought and realized something. Kikyo's remains are all swept away by the wind, never to be reincarnated again, and never able to love Inuyasha, never able to live again.

'Maybe it's fate that I end up with Kagome…' He sighed. 'I'm so damn confused…'

"Little brother, I'm going to live in this village with Rin and Jaken. I will see you later." With that he left, leaving Inuyasha stunned.

In his heart he already knew who he picked, but his mind was denying it. Just then, he remembered that he had to go find Kagome.

"Where the hell is she?" He mumbled looking around his surroundings wondering where she had gone.

'I don't want to go back living in regret.' For some reason, he couldn't figure out why Kagome's words kept playing over and over in repeat in his head. 'Wait. Go back living in regret? Did she… Dammit!' He thought before he dashed off to where he had an idea as to where she might be.

'I knew I shouldn't have told him, I'm only a visitor in this world after all. How could I ever think of this world as to where I belong? I never did belong here.' She thought hating herself for the way she felt and thought.

Kagome looked up at the sky as she sighed.

'I'm going to miss this world. Here I get to see the stars and the sky better, but I guess I have to let that go. It's time for me to leave…for good. Goodbye Sango, Miroku, Shippo, Kiara, Kaede, Koga and Inuyasha…thank you for everything.' She thought and took out a piece of paper and writing utensil from her backpack.

_'Dear everyone._

_Thank you for everything. I really enjoyed the adventures we had. Maybe in another lifetime, we will meet again and go on adventures._

_Goodbye forever._

_-Love Kagome.'_

She quickly wrote the letter and placed it against the well on the leveled ground. She looked back one last time and jumped into the well, never to return again.

Inuyasha arrived a few minutes after, but it was too late. Kagome had already gone. He walked towards the well and a white piece of paper at his foot caught his attention. He crouched down and picked up the paper and unfolded it. It only took him a few seconds to realize what had happened. Without further thought, he jumped into the well, but unlike the other times, he found out he couldn't go to Kagome's world anymore.

"Dammit!" He cussed while punching the hard ground with his fist. Suddenly an idea came to his head. Kaede might know how to enter Kagome's world.

"What?" Inuyasha demanded once Kaede explained how to enter Kagome's world.

"If you want to see Kagome in her world, you must use the _Shikon no Tama_ to turn yourself to a human. But once you wish that, the jewel will not longer exist." Kaede repeated calmly taking another sip of her tea.

"Isn't there any other way?" He asked not believing what was happening. Kaede only shook her head.

"Sorry Inuyasha. You must decide if Kagome's more important or being a full-fledged demon. Remember, if you enter Kagome's world as a human, you can never go back to this world, because in order to go back and forth from dimension to dimension, a jewel shard must be involved." Kaede added, causing Inuyasha to sigh and calm down.

"I'm going for a walk Give me five days and I'll have my decision made by then." He mumbled and walked out without hearing her reply.

"Five days is perfect. Inuyasha will realize what he cherishes most in his life." Kaede said to herself and took a sip from her tea.

During supper in Kaede's home, everyone was silent, except for the sound of chopsticks, and the fire that kept them warm.

"Where's Inuyasha?" asked Kohaku disrupting the silence that lingered the air for quite some time.

"He's out for a walk. He needs sometime to think right now." Kaede replied causing Sangfo and Miroku to glance at each other.

"What about Kagome? Is she alright?" Sango asked afraid of what might've happened to them.

"Inuyasha already knows the answer, but he's denying it." Miroku said.

"So five days should clear his mind and by then realize what he needs most." Sango added and Kaede nodded, of course, Kiara, Kohaku, and Shippo all knew what Inuyasha's answer would be.

The next couple of days later, Inuyasha was getting more impatient by the growing hours.

'Why am I impatient? I shouldn't care about Kagome, hell; I should be a full-fledged demon by now.' Inuyasha thought as he paced back and forth in front of the well. He sighed. 'What am I worried about?' He then stopped and it was so clear now. He had missed Kagome, he realized he needed her and she was the reason why his life turned around for the better. 'I think I made my decision.' He walked back to the village towards the shrine where Kaede put the _Shikon no Tama_. He stared at it and reached for it.

The shard seemed to glow a white aura causing him to gasp. 'So, I was destined to become human after all.' Inuyasha said and clutched the jewel in his hand.

"I want to become…a human." He said confidently, with no regret in his voice. The jewel then glowed brightly than it already was. Inuyasha's dog ears started to disappear, and human ears replaced them. His toe and finger claws shrunken and turned into human finger and toe nails. His hair color changed to black replacing the white strands of hair. The jewel cracked and shattered turning into sparkles that evaporated into the air instead of scattering everywhere like before.

"A human…it's different, but I can't do anything about it." He sighed and walked out of the shrine. Outside stood Kaede, Sango, Miroku, Shippo, Kiara and Kohaku waiting for him.

"Inuyasha, I would like to thank you for freeing Kohaku. I really appreciate it." Sango said with tears in her eyes.

"I would like to thank you for getting rid of the _Wind Tunnel_, instead of being sucked in by my own hand; I can live long and be betrothed to Sango, like I said before. May peace be with you." Miroku said and bowed.

"Thank you for turning me to a brave and strong demon. I will never forget you." Shippo said starting to cry.

"Thank you for saving me and allowing me to live with my sister again." Kohaku said bowing.

"And I thank you Inuyasha for setting sister's soul free." Kaede said.

"Hey, it's no big deal. That's what friends are for." Inuyasha said. He hugged everyone and shook their hands. Kiara licked his cheek causing him to pat her. He patted Shippo and told him to never give up and keep being strong. Inuyasha told Kohaku to keep being a good boy and take good care of Sango. They bid their final goodbyes and he left to go to the well.

"Goodbye. I will miss this place. Maybe someday Kagome and I will come back here somehow." Inuyasha said then jumped into the well. This time, it seemed bottomless. 'Its working' He thought. Moments later, he climbed out of the well and took a while to realize where he was.

When he walked out of the doors, he noticed Kagome sweeping outside in the dark, under a sky of stars and a glowing moon.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha called to get her attention.

"That's weird, I thought I just heard Inuyasha call me…no way…" She stopped sweeping, just standing there stunned.

Tears welled up her eyes as she continued to sweep ignoring him.

"I'm dreaming. It's not possible.' She thought wiping tears away.

Inuyasha realized that Kagome didn't react to his call. He walked towards her and gripped her by the shoulder.

"Kagome. I'm so sorry, I realized I need you, without you…my life wouldn't be the same. Please forgive me." Inuyasha said almost desperately.

"It's too late. Sorry. I can't be with you." She said rather coldly.

"W-what? Why?" Inuyasha asked. Now it was his heart that was being torn.

"Look, I've been crying so much these last few days, luckily it's summer break and no one will see me like this. I just got over it this morning and now you come? I don't want to hear it!" She snapped, tears forming in her eyes.

"Let me ex-"

"No! Don't come near me, just go away!" Kagome demanded moving some distances away from him. She sniffed as she wiped her tears. Inuyasha approached Kagome cautiously careful not to make her cry more.

"Don't come closer or I'll say it!" She snapped, but Inuyasha didn't listen. He kept nearing her every second.

"Sit!" Kagome cried but it took no effect. She repeated again and again but still nothing. Inuyasha embraced her from behind.

"Why won't it work!" She demanded, while squirming to get free, but he was more powerful than she was.

"Look at me closely. I'm no longer a half-demon, I'm human, its because I wanted to be with you. I used the _Shikon no Tama_." Inuyasha explained as he turned her so she was facing him.

"Inuyasha…I thought I was only a friend to you." Kagome said as she wiped her last tear away. Inuyasha shook his head.

"All I needed was to clear my mind and I realized that you are more than a friend if I protected you, especially a human, and argue against Koga for you." He said embracing her and this time, she relaxed in his arms instead of trying to get free.

"Thank you Inuyasha." Kagome mumbled and smiled at last, after these few days she spent crying. A few moments later, Inuyasha interrupted the silence between them.

"Do you remember the time you kissed me to turn me back to a half-demon from full-fledged demon?" Inuyasha asked causing Kagome to look up to him.

"Yeah? What about it?" Kagome replied feeling embarrassed about before.

"I don't think you're done." He said and with no further conversation, Inuyasha leaned in and kissed Kagome softly and slowly, not wanting this moment to end. Kagome responded back letting all her emotions that were bottled up for so long flow out through this kiss. Inuyasha also did the same, letting all his emotions flow out showing Kagome how much he cared for her. After a while later, they pulled apart and looked up from where they stood.

"Hey, it's the same tree where we first met." Inuyasha said with a smile.

"Yeah, and it's the same tree where you confessed your feelings to me." Kagome added returning his smile.

"So I guess you have to go now huh?" Kagome asked sadly, but only earned a shake of his head.

"Me and you can't…not without the jewel shard." Inuyasha said. "So we're stuck in this world."

"Hopefully, we'll find another way to go to the other world, if not, maybe in another lifetime…all of us will…reunite again." She said watching as the cherry blossoms of the tree swayed in the wind, and being swept away towards the sky.

-The End.


End file.
